Fraser and Owen Darling receive their 2011 award from Peter Gilchrist and Nidhi Tandon

Ontario Nature's Conservation Awards

Community involvement defines the character and approach of Ontario Nature. With its member groups and individual members, Ontario Nature has made a significant impact on conservation issues in communities across Ontario and continues to build a natural legacy for future generations.

The Ontario Nature Conservation Awards recognize excellence by honouring individuals, groups, government agencies and corporations who have worked to protect nature in Ontario.

Ontario Nature must receive nominations by April 8, 2013.

Click here for the 2012 Conservation Awards flyer.

Click here for the PDF application form and click here for the MS Word application form.

The awards will be presented at Ontario Nature's Ontario Nature's 82nd AGM and Gathering on June 8, 2013 at our Cawthra Mulock Nature Reserve, just northwest of Newmarket. Parking is available at the Bathurst Street entrance. Click here for directions.

ONTARIO NATURE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Nominee: Individual
Criteria: Ontario Nature member who has made an outstanding contribution to the activities of Ontario Nature. The contribution may have entailed significant effort over a long period of time or intensive work over a shorter period of time.

W. E. SAUNDERS NATURAL HISTORY AWARD

Nominee: Individual or group
Criteria: Nominees must achieve a significant goal related to an aspect of natural history or natural science research. This could include developing key natural history resources (e.g., atlases, inventories, studies), raising public awareness of natural history, demonstrating local leadership, saving a natural area, or generating conservation funds or publications.

W. W. H. GUNN CONSERVATION AWARD

Nominee: Individual
Criteria: Nominees acting either independently or as a group leader must demonstrate outstanding personal service and a strong commitment to nature conservation over a number of years with exceptional results.

RICHARDS EDUCATION AWARD

Nominee: Individual
Criteria: Nominees must succeed in helping people understand the natural world and become enthusiastic supporters of conservation and environmental protection. This can be accomplished through a special contribution to natural history education and communication. Nominees who acted as volunteers will receive preference, although people employed to do this work are also eligible.

LEE SYMMES MUNICIPAL AWARD

Nominee: Town, city, municipality, or region
Criteria: Nominees must exhibit community leadership and exceptional achievement in planning or implementing programs that protect and regenerate the natural environment within a community. This may be accomplished directly through protection or creation of natural areas, or indirectly through policies or planning measures that encourage or support energy conservation or native biodiversity.

IAN SHENSTONE FRASER MEMORIAL AWARD

Nominee: Individual or group
Criteria: Nominees must produce innovative work of exceptional quality that makes a contribution to the maintenance, protection, or preservation of the Niagara Escarpment. The work may include a policy document, article for publication, speech, audio-visual presentation, or other endeavour that consolidates previously disjointed information or develops a new perspective towards conservation. The achievement must demonstrate superior organization, thoroughness, and meticulous attention to detail.

ONTARIO NATURE CORPORATE AWARD

Nominee: Corporation active in Ontario
Criteria: Nominees must demonstrate outstanding leadership or sound action in the environmental field. The award is given to a corporation for protecting the natural environment either directly through corporate policies or through a major initiative(s), such as the creation of parks, the protection of wetlands or forested areas, or indirectly through other undertakings that have stimulated significant environmental actions.

THE STEVE HOUNSELL GREENWAY AWARD

Nominee: Individual or group
Criteria: Nominees are honoured for adding a vital linking piece to Ontario Nature’s Greenway, by preserving a natural core area or green corridor, building public support for preserving a natural heritage system, laying the groundwork for a legislative advance in greenway planning, fighting to restore a watershed, or any other action that contributes to our Greenway vision.

J. R. DYMOND PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

Nominee: Individual, group, or government agency
Criteria: Nominees must show distinguished public service that resulted in exceptional environmental achievement.
This public service may include a change in legislation or policy, preservation of a species or area, or leadership in a particular environmental issue.

CARL NUNN MEDIA AND CONSERVATION AWARD

Nominee: Individual, team, or media outlet
Criteria: Nominees must engage in effective communication on one or more conservation issues. Nominees can be from print, radio, TV, or internet organizations.

MARGARET AND CARL NUNN MEMORIAL CAMP SCHOLARSHIP

Nominee: Individual
Criteria: Nominees, who are 10 to 14 years of age, must display promise and interest in natural history interpretation or education and have the potential to take an increased leadership role in club programs. A written statement from the nominee must accompany the nomination indicating that she/he is interested and available to attend a four-day Nature Camp at Camp Kawartha. Individual must be nominated by a member group.

Nomination Procedure

Nominations must be submitted on an official form, and can be submitted either electronically or by mail/courier, but all supporting material must be submitted in hard copy sent by mail or courier.

214 King Street West, Suite 612
Toronto, ON M5H 3S6
Tel: 416-444-8419
Toll Free: 1-800-440-2366
Fax: 416-444-9866
E-mail: laurenw@ontarionature.org
Non-Ontario Nature members or groups are eligible, but they must be nominated by an Ontario Nature member group or two current Ontario Nature members. Nominees who are Ontario Nature members must also be nominated by two people (can be non-members) or one member group.
A person or group may be nominated for more than one award; however, each nomination must be submitted on a separate form.
Nominators must provide seven (7) copies of any supporting materials with their submission.
Awards are given at the discretion of the Awards Committee.